Video Games' Greatest Rivalries

Sometimes video game franchises are kind of similar. It can’t be avoided. Sometimes, those games inspire conflict and people take sides. Sometimes, a feature is written that arbitrarily decides a winner. It could be a matter of sales, a clear case of objective quality, or my own personable preference. Feel free to take issue with any of the declared winners below in our comment section!

Prototype vs. Infamous

Both games star superheroes with exceptional climbing and jumping abilities, both games are open-world, and both released in 2009. The two games inspired comparison for obvious reasons and before the two even released, people were taking sides.

Winner: InfamousThis one could, perhaps, be considered on a case by case basis. Some people prefer the insanity that is Protoype, while others, like myself, prefer the story-focused comic-book turned into a video game trappings of Infamous. The latter just feels like a much more polished game.

FIFA vs. Pro Evolution Soccer

FIFA comes from EA Sports, and Pro Evolution Soccer comes from a
publisher that is not EA Sports, so it will always be the perpetual
underdog. It doesn’t have the full roster of licensed teams, but many
consider it a technically better game that hardcore soccer fans
appreciate. FIFA, on the other hand, has all the licenses for all the
teams, and the backing of EA Sports’ deep monetary pockets.

Winner: FIFAFIFA has become synonymous with soccer video
games. In the same way people don’t realize that Band-Aid and Kleenex
are actually brand names and not definitions for adhesive bandages and
soft tissue, FIFA has just become how people refer to soccer video
games.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance vs. Justice League Heroes

Marvel and DC are always butting heads for one reason or another. This year it was The Avengers and Dark Knight Rises, but back in 2006, it was Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Justice League Heroes. Both featured a large cast of recognizable superheroes, and both offered co-op beat ‘em up RPG action. The two games released seven days apart with JLH getting out of the gate first. Turns out JLH’s lead time just gave everyone the opportunity to get a really bad taste in their mouths, which could only be rinsed out by Marvel Ultimate Alliance.

There was a time when there was more than one football game option. The year was 2005, when Madden truly realized that it was not alone in the NFL universe. ESPN NFL 2K5 released with a price-point of $19.99, and many people considered it to be the better game.

Winner: MaddenElectronic Arts freaked out when the competition got too rough and picked up exclusivity rights to make NFL games. Since then, it’s been all Madden, all the time. Things are looking up, though.

World of Warcraft vs. Everquest II

You are probably too young to remember, but there was a time before
World of Warcraft ruled the real world. It was a simpler time. We didn’t
have iPhones, and the Internet was slightly slower. World of Warcraft
may have shown just how huge a massively multiplayer online role-playing
game could be, but Everquest was the game that started it all. Both had
been in beta for quite some time, but the official release dates were
only 15 days apart.

Winner: World of WarcraftI am asking this question without the slightest hint of irony: Is anyone still playing Everquest II?

Too Human vs. Mass Effect

Too Human and Mass Effect were released about nine months apart, but both games had a lot of long-term hype leading up to their releases, especially Too Human. Both games were science fiction in nature, promising deep narratives that would span across multiple games. One of these games delivered on this promise. The other was called Too Human.

Winner: Mass EffectToo Human ended up being a disaster, both critically and financially. Mass Effect is one the biggest series of this generation.